“The brief respite from the precipitation was mostly well timed for our loud and joyful casserole march through the streets of downtown Chicago…”
A report from Chicago’s action in participation with #globalNOISE
An occupier participates in a little-known action in Zuccotti Park in the wee hours of the morning, drawing the blueprints of the #OWS encampment in chalk:
“From this angle all I can see are his boots, more particularly the black military boot, buckled in silver that is blocking my ability to finish my chalk drawing. It is three in the morning and I am about to be arrested. I am using chalk to draw out the blueprints of where the tents had been prior to the dismantling of the Occupy Wall Street encampment by the NYPD in Zuccotti Park.”
An occupier from Chicago reminisces on her first year in the movement as Occupy Chicago celebrates its anniversary:
“I now recognize our occupation, our movement to occupy every form of oppression everywhere, to be the only possible tide to rise against the financial-governmental machine of privatization, profitization, racialization and devastation of our homes, lives, bodies and thoughts. The one percent demands that we believe in their systems and institutions even as they crack and fall all around them, but the time has come for human beings to evolve. I will continue to use my skills as a writer, performer, and organizer to fuel the worldwide revolution for a sustainable culture until I wake up every last sleepy consumer. I occupy my art and other’s minds as best I can — I see no other way to be!”
“Lady, we don’t even have charges for that”
is what Nicole’s arresting officer told her as she was transported to One Police Plaza following an arrest for hula-hooping in an intersection early in the morning of #S17. She recounts her experience in jail:
“We shared stories, everyone having a good laugh … We stood shoulder to shoulder forming our own ‘Pee-poles Wall’ singing ‘Solidari-pee Forever’ whenever a sister had to use the facilities. It’s amusing to me that after all this time the NYPD still thinks arrest will drive us away from the movement. Some of the strongest bonds I have made since coming to Occupy have been forged in a jail cell.”
Hope for my son’s future
S17 is a celebration, a reunion, and an affirmation that there will be a day when my son will have his future in his hands rather than it being in the hands of the highest bidders. S17 is the anniversary of the day when people decided that they would stand up for humanity and let their voices be heard as they spoke from their hearts. S17 is the day my life changed forever. It is when I decided to believe in people again—a day when community and love weren’t shunned but rather celebrated and practiced in abundance. Love to all my family that I have gained since that day. It’s with these people that we will build the communities that will outlive the regime that suppresses the masses. Love peace hugs and Revolution!
Q:were yall the people with the type writers?
Yes! That was our #S17 collaboration with the Direct Action Flaneurs (who supply & troubleshoot the typewriters.) We hope to do more collaborations with them in the future!
Soon, we will publish what people wrote on the typewriters last weekend, which will be announced here.
“Yesterday, I was free.”
An occupier reflects on his arrest on #S17:
It was wonderful. Each time I heard a new story of the actions taking place on the street after I was picked up I felt like I was missing something; but I also knew the community we formed in our cells was one of the most incredible things that would happen all day; one of the most liberating things I would ever feel.
What’s Wrong With This Picture? The story of my #S17 arrest
Photographer Julia Reinhart was arrested at #S17 protests, putting the Twitterverse in a tizzy and even being covered at the Gothamist.
She gives us her full account at Occupied Stories:
I took one more shot of the cops standing at the corner, when the white shirt officer in charge of the scene pointed at me and said: “That’s it. She’s done. Take her,” and he promptly grabbed my hand. I shouted out that I’m an independent photographer, and showed him my credentials from the National Press Photographers’ Association. The officer looked at my badge and said “they’re not ours, so I’m not interested.”
It’s decided: this photo by Armando Gallardo is the best photo taken from yesterday, Occupy Wall Street’s anniversary.
Check out a first-person story from the day on our site.
Dead Language & Old Stories
To me #S17 meant that we were all waking up from being sung lullabies in a dead language…
It also told me that each generation that wakes up only wakes up a little…and they stumble around making the same predictable blunders as those that came before.
While occupy has made a big noise - my hope going forward is that they listen to their critics and refuse to be led by the loudest among them, that they reach in all directions horizontally in solidarity…and learn that they are not the first down this path. That those who came before did learn many things worth knowing….for growth…and for self preservation…
or real change.
- Liz McLellan-
Halfway, OR
